What Happened To William Hung After American Idol

#1 He Auditioned For American Idol

After auditioning for American Idol in Season 3, in 2004, judge Simon Cowell agreed after uncovering his ears when William Hung explained that he had "no musical training". Because of his earnestness in what was truly an awful audition, he became an overnight sensation, with fans begging to have him return to the show. Before long he was making records, touring, and performing concerts for people who were not just making fun of him, but enjoying his drive, ambition, and simplicity of his music. People were entertained.

#2 Another Novelty Act

But despite the real love he received, Hung's fame was a flash in the pan. Just like any novelty act, it's difficult to keep the inside joke going after a few performances. Remember Sanjaya, who people voted for week after week simply because radio host Howard Stern prompted viewers of the show to keep calling in to vote for him? He made it to the top. Similar acts over the years like Tiny Tim, Charro, Judy Tenuta, and Dr. Demento have all made careers with one gag or song, but they never had staying power.

#3 He Got A Record Deal

After his rocking performance and media attention on his Idol audition, William Hung actually got a record deal with Koch Records and recorded three albums. His debut album, Inspiration, sold over 200,000 copies and things looked promising. He never recorded any original or new songs, just his own version of songs like "Bailamos" and "Shake Your Bon Bon." His third album was his last, and was a collection of Christmas standards, aptly titled "Hung For The Holidays". That disc only sold 35,000 copies and led to his release from the record label.

#4 He Did Commercials And Cameos

At the height of his short career, he was the guest on several talk shows and did commercials for products like Cingular Wireless, Jack In The Box, and Ask Jeeves. He even did a few cameo appearances on popular TV shows like Arrested Development, MadTV, George Lopez, Joan Of Arcadia, and Family Guy.

#5 He Made A Few Movies

According to IMDb, Hung has three movie credits to his name, including the Spanish film, Cuarteto de La Habana, in which he plays a construction worker because that makes complete sense. The others are Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves, and My Crazy Mother, which was popular in Europe.

#6 Made A Documentary On His Career

He was also the subject of his own documentary called William Hung: Hangin' with Hung because if it isn't abundantly clear at this point, people really enjoyed having fun with that double entendre. That movie went straight to DVD and has only sold 4,000 copies according to Billboard.

#7 Performed At Sporting Events

Novelty celebrities like Hung often find themselves getting invited to host special events, getting hired for corporate functions, and being asked to perform at sporting events. Thanks to his unique talent and seeming willingness to do just about anything, Hung's resume includes a performance at Toronto's SkyDome and a St. Cloud River Bats baseball game. He sang the National Anthem at a few games, but his version of "Achy Breaky Heart" in Toronto was one of his finest moments.

#8 Worked For The LA Sheriffs Department

As electric as he is as a performer, apparently Hung also has quite the analytical mind. Using his civil engineering degree, he secured a position with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Hung told LA Weekly his duties include "calculating the probability of crimes and attacks occurring in particular neighborhoods." He also said his "passion has always been math," but that didn't stop him from taking a five-year break from spreadsheets to become an international superstar. Word problems are fun and all, but they don't compare to signing autographs at minor league baseball games.

#9 He Got Married

Sorry ladies, he's married. Hung married Jian Teng on June 18th, 2014. He told People, "She's a fantastic wife and I'm glad to have somebody to support me," which sounds like he might be yearning for another crack at stardom. Teng is a licensed vocational nurse, which sounds like it probably pays well, so hopefully she can cover the bills while her hubby returns to the recording booth to make Hung for the Holidays 2: Santa Claus is Hunging to Town.

#10 He's An Avid Poker Player

Hung is a professional poker player. Hung describes his passion for poker, a hobby he's maintained for about a decade and one that has paid off pretty nicely in some cases. "I still remember the first time I played poker, it was $2/$4 Limit Hold'em at the Reno Hilton. I won a few hundred dollars and I got hooked into the game afterwards." He's also won some big tournaments and played in what is basically the Super Bowl of poker: The World Series of Poker No Limit Texas Hold-Em Main Event. He plays whenever he can now and is raking in over $220,000 a year in winnings. Not bad.

#11 He Was Asked To Perform At The Idol Finale

Despite being ruthlessly rejected by judge Simon Cowell on Idol, Hung harbored no ill will toward the singing competition that inadvertently made him famous. He even returned for the series finale to perform his signature version of "She Bangs," which is remarkable considering the last time he was on that stage he was told, "You can't sing, you can't dance, so what do you want me to say?" His return to Idol was made even more satisfying because producers chose to bring Hung out immediately after Cowell's surprise appearance and emotional thank you. Way to take the high road and get the last laugh, Hung.

#12 He Now Works For The Department Of Health

So where does a former international music superstar, commercial pitchman, and amateur poker whiz wind up? At the Los Angeles County Department of Health, of course. While Hung obviously has a ton of talent to share, he's a self-professed math nerd at heart. According to his LinkedIn profile, he's been employed in some way by the county since 2011, which means he's run the numbers and he knows that a government pension is a better bet in the long run than what the poker table or entertainment industry can provide. Hung seems to have done well for himself, despite being introduced to the world in what American Idol producers surely thought was going to be a quick, if not mean-spirited joke. Nicely done, Mr. Hung. Way tohung in there.

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